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[…] shots of their first black toenail as a badge of honor. UltraRunnerPodcast has a special section, the black toe bail hall of fame. Toenails were such a pain in the ass to one Marshall Ulrich, so much so that he opted to have all […]

I have never had a nail come off before the nailbed was hardened over. If the nailbed is hardened over, I don’t think there is anything else to do — nothing different than the way you keep your toes clean, anyway.

At any time if I have more than half my toe nails attached I am pretty happy. I lost my big toe nail again last year, just after it had finally grown back. I didn’t want to cut it back because I was just so happy to have it again. Anyway I got a scab underneath the toe nail and because the nail was still there the scab couldn’t fall off. Now that toe nail is raised above the permanent scab and so grows a bit funny. So my advice is to cut the toe nail back as it loosens (normally a couple weeks after the injury) and let it regrow out keeping the bed underneath it clean and soft (that papaya cream is recommended by my podiatrist) so that it can regrow correctly in time! I also do the down hill test when I buy shoes, as long as I am not sliding around in the shoe I try and get a size above to when running downhill my toenails aren’t shoved up against the front.

For god’s sake guys!!! What is wrong with your shoes, running style or toes ??? I have run a 55k, and the GoreTex transalpine without any black toenail … in 10 years of running I never had one … what the hell is wrong with you guys … or with me ???

I have never had a nail come off before the nailbed was hardened over. If the nailbed is hardened over, I don’t think there is anything else to do — nothing different than the way you keep your toes clean, anyway.

At any time if I have more than half my toe nails attached I am pretty happy. I lost my big toe nail again last year, just after it had finally grown back. I didn’t want to cut it back because I was just so happy to have it again. Anyway I got a scab underneath the toe nail and because the nail was still there the scab couldn’t fall off. Now that toe nail is raised above the permanent scab and so grows a bit funny. So my advice is to cut the toe nail back as it loosens (normally a couple weeks after the injury) and let it regrow out keeping the bed underneath it clean and soft (that papaya cream is recommended by my podiatrist) so that it can regrow correctly in time! I also do the down hill test when I buy shoes, as long as I am not sliding around in the shoe I try and get a size above to when running downhill my toenails aren’t shoved up against the front.

For god’s sake guys!!! What is wrong with your shoes, running style or toes ??? I have run a 55k, and the GoreTex transalpine without any black toenail … in 10 years of running I never had one … what the hell is wrong with you guys … or with me ???